incompetent 1 of 2

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈkäm-pə-tənt How to pronounce incompetent (audio)
Definition of incompetentnext
as in unfit
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job an incompetent carpenter had built the deck, and the railings were loose already

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

incompetent

2 of 2

noun

as in bungler

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of incompetent
Adjective
More recently, Blanco was found incompetent to stand trial in July in a separate domestic violence case, WPRI reported. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Christine Drazan lost to Tina Kotek, the most incompetent governor in America, by three points. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Noun
The Dodgers reached the pinnacle honestly, in a capitalistic structure that properly hands no favors to the incompetent. — Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incompetent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incompetent
  1. unfit
  2. bungler
  3. unfitted
  4. butcher
  5. incapable
  6. muddler
Adjective
  • There is exactly no evidence that trans identity makes individuals unfit to serve, and this move is a clear escalation in the administration’s attempts to simply remove trans people from American life.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That’ll be particularly important after Paxton defeated Cornyn in a brutal primary where Senate Republicans and other Cornyn allies spent more than $90 million in his defense and attacked Paxton as unfit for office.
    — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfit
Noun
  • Dan Quinn has a public relations problem right now and at the heart of the issue is some powerful people that are painting him as something of an NFL sideline bungler as the Washington Commanders coach.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of bungler
Adjective
  • Here, Rodel shares how to make the unfitted kitchen trend your own, one statement-worthy piece at a time.
    — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 May 2025
  • The venerable American clan at the center of the narrator’s reminiscences are wholly unfitted to the modern world and no longer endowed with the fortune that one of them brought home long ago on clipper ships.
    — Daniel Akst, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022
Definition of unfitted
Noun
  • The grocer specializes in Mexican and Latino foods, including prepared meals, fresh meats from a butcher’s counter, aguas frescas and a variety of produce.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Fox in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood near their butcher shop, Kinship Butcher & Sundry.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of butcher
Adjective
  • Colman is incapable of playing any character with just one note, and here delivers another three-dimensional performance of a woman determined to change her life and find her happy place in it.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As Starlink's speed limits were lowered, Ukraine became incapable of shooting down some Russian drones.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of incapable
Noun
  • Attendees will also have the opportunity to craft a custom muddler from authentic barrel staves and participate in a bung-driving relay that brings a traditional barrel-preparation technique to life.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
  • For more instant gratification, grab a muddler (or the back of a wooden spoon or the end of a rolling pin).
    — The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2025
Definition of muddler

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Incompetent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incompetent. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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